Trolling spoon



May 3, 1932- G; MAPEL 1,856,649

TROLLING SPOON Filed March 14, 1931 A TTORNE Y Patented May 3, 1932PATENT OFFC GEORGE MAIPEL, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON TROLLING SPOONApplication led March 14, 1931. Serial N'o. 522,569.

My invention relates to improvements in trolling spoons of the type usedin fishing for game ish, and the general object of my present inventionis to provide a trolling 5 spoon of novel shape and configuration whichwill have a novel motion in the water which makes it especially alluringto game fish.

In my prior Patent No. 1,692,674, issued Nov. 20, 1928, I disclose atrolling spoon which tends to roll or oscillate from side to side of avertical plane when it is drawn through the water in trolling. It is aprimary object of my present invention to provide a trolling' spoon ofnovel shape which will not ordinarily assume a vertical position in usebut will roll back and forth from one side to vthe other `of ahorizontal position.

Another object is to provide a trolling Spoon which will have the sameor approximately the 'same rolling and zig zag motion in the water foreither fast or slow trolling speeds and which will not spin at thefaster trolling speeds.

A further object is to provide a trolling spoon whichis quick andpositive in its movements and which is capable of handling a relativelylarge hook in proportion to the size of the spoon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spoon of this naturewhich is made of a flat plane piece of thin metal with the spoon likeportions stamped or formed therein without giving a curvature to theentire spoon whereby a hard pull will not tend to distort the shape ofthe spoon.

A still further object is to provide a trolling spoon composed of aymetal body of greater length than width having two concavo-convex spoonshaped elements disposed side by side near the forward end ot the spoonon opposite sides of the longitudinal aXis of the same and dished in thesame direction and having one larger concavo-convex spoon shapedelementtoward the rear end of the spoon dished in the opposite directionfrom said two elements, all of said elements cooperating to produce anaccurately balanced spoon which will troll in a substantially horizontalposition is produced.

The eticiency of a trolling spoon of this nature in catching fish islargely dependent on the action of the spoon in the water and on themanner in which said spoon reflects light, the spoons usually being othighly polished, light reflecting material. It is apparent that both theaction of the spoon in the water and the light reflecting qualities ofthe spoon are dependent on the shape and configuration of the same andthat consequently the element of invention in the spoon must reside inthe novel shape and configuration of the same.

Other and more specific objects of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view with parts broken away ofa trolling spoon constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a Fig. 3 is an edge view of the same.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views on broken lines 4 4, 5 5, and 6-6of Fig. 2.

Figs. and 8 are diagrammatic views illustrating the action of the spoonin the water.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

My trolling spoon comprises an elongated body member 10 of flat metal,bent to form two smaller concavo-convex spoon shaped elements 11 and 12toward the forward end of the body member and one larger concavo-con-Vex spoon shaped element 14 toward the rear end of the body member. Thesmaller spoon shaped elements 11 and 12 are both dished in the samedirection and lie side by side on opposite sides of the longitudinalaxis of the spoon. The larger spoon shaped element 14 toward the rearend of the body member 10 is dished in the opposite direction andoccupies a large portion of the rear end of the body member and isbisected by the longitudinal axis of the spoon. A flat portion 15 isleft between the forward end of the larger spoon shaped elementr14 andthe rear ends of the smaller spoon shaped elements 11 and 12. The edgesof the spoon are substantially straight and free from curvature as shownin Fig. 3, the spoon being formed of a plane fiat plan view ot' thetrolling spoon. r

piece of metal. The spoon like elements 11 and 12 are both concave onone side and con- Vex on the other side of the body member, While theconcave and convex sides ofthe element 14 are reversed relative toelements 11 and 12. The spoon shaped elements 11 and 12 have a. channellformed between them on their convexside.

The spoon is preferably of approximately diamond or oval shape inyplanas shown in Fig. 2 with its greatest'widthat'adistance from thefrontend equal to about one third of the length of the spoon.

A hook 16 is attachedto one .rend of the spoon in the usual manner whilea swivel 17 isattached to the: other 'endroffthe .spoon Yfor connectionwith aline 18.

In operation, :when :the spoon is drawn throughitheiwateraintrolling,itwill;assume a general 'horizontal position but :will oscillate throughI'a 'Ilimited langle as lindicated vin '-Fig. 7 and Vat thel sametimeitwill :follow a somewhat :sinuous vor wave .like :path fasillustrated lin `llig. 8,v This 1 gives a .movement in v:the avater:which :'simulates'rthe. :movement of small ffsh `in .swimming ,and :isavery f alluring tottheflargeriish.

'Theforegoingdescription and accompanying drawingszclearlyrdisclose a`preferred embodiment of my inventionsbut A.it willrbezunderstood thatzthis fdisclosnreis .merely illus- '.trative. and Lthat .f-such ichangessin the -invention :may 'be @made .asrare 'fairlry within the scope andspirit of the following claims.

11 claim:v Y

1. In a 'trolling spoon, -a vthinanetal body lnemberhaving twospoonlfkerelements positioned side 'byfside near thelforwardend of thespoonand .dished in :the same direction land another 1 spoon like y'elementpositioned toward the rear end of the spoon dishedinitheoppositefdirection. y

2. ln a'atrollingzspnon,athinmetal body member having 'twoconcavoeoonvex spoon like elements Mdisposed side by .side .on :op-

positef sides iofztheimedial axis of the body ments disposed side byside near the forward end of the body member and on opposite sides ofthe .longitudinal axis of the body member and dished in the samedirection and having a single larger concave-convex spoon like elementprovided toward the rear end of saidbody member and dished in theopposite direction fromsaidtwo smaller spoon like elements.

5. ln a trollingspoon, a thinmetal body member'o'fgreaterlength thanwidth bent to form .three concavo-convex spoon like elements, two ofsaid concavo-convex elements beingof-smaller size and dished in the samedirection and positioned toward the forward i ends of said two' smallerconcavo-convex elements.

y6. ln aztrolling spoon, a'metal .body meml-` ber of greater length thanWidth: -bent to form three concave-convex spoon like nelements, theremainder-of said lbo'dymember being'pl'ane-'andflat and freefromcurvature and :the 4edges =of said 'bodyamember :being straight,two= of said concavo-convex` elements being'dished inthe-same directionand fpositionedside by side onoppositesides ofthe longitudinal a-Xis Vofsaid spooniand toward the fforward end thereof :and the otherconcavo-convex element being syminetricallypositioned towardvthe rear fend v of said spoon and dishediina reverse direction.

The foregoing specification signedv at Seattle, Vash.,this.28th\day VofFeb., 1931.

GEORGE memberwand ltoward Vthe forward rend :ofthe ybod-y Imember AVandboth Ydished in one :direc-y tion, anda=single concave-convex spoon likeelement'-disposed toward the rear end .of vthe body l:member and Adishedin fthe opposite dre'etion'. Y

3. 'In ia trolling spoon, Vra thin metal 'body member of approximatelydiamond shape havingtwo concave-convexelements.disposed sidebyside-near'the forward `end :of fthe :body member on opposite sidesaof:the longitudinal axis of said body fmeinber, saidrtwo elements beingvdished in the samedir'ection Vand .hav-

ing a sing-le concave-convex' element vtoward the rearvend fthe bodymember and dished lin the fop'posite direction.

4. 'In ya .trollingspoon7 a Vthin metal body meniben of greater `lengththan width having two Lsmaller .concavo-convex spoon like vele-

